Who we Are, What we Are
by Marine Brother Shran
Summary: What we are never changes. But who we are never stops changing. Those are the words that Nii Yugito imparts upon Naruto. Watch as two people of two ideologies come together to change who they are. Naru/Yugi
1. Chapter 1

**Who we Are, What we Are**

**Chapter I**

**What we are never changes. But who we are never stops changing. Even as I lie here dying, I can still remember those words clearly as if she said them yesterday. I owe her so much. I can still remember when it all began. I remember meeting her by pure chance. I owe that Ero-sennin big time for letting me meet such an incredible person. Who'd have thought that he'd actually find someone who was like me? Honestly, I'm glad to have been able to make a family with her. Heck, I'm glad I even got to meet her at all. I honestly don't know how it happened, but I'm glad we can go together, like shinobi. Even as I feel the weight of my life ending, I can still remember it. I can still remember the day that I met her, and the days that followed it.**

"Ne, Ero-sennin, why are we roaming this village when we could be training?" a 15 year old Naruto irately and rhetorically asked his sensei.

"Looking for a certain someone," Jiraiya simply stated.

What Naruto had thought to be a stop for resupplying, had turned into annoying hunt in Kumo territory. He had no idea of what Jiraiya's agenda was, but it wasn't something that he had in mind. He wanted to train, and continue to get better. He had to. He had promised Sakura that he would get Sasuke back, and he had promised that he would become Hokage. He was not going to go back on his word. It was his nindo, his way of the shinobi. But unfortunately, at the moment he couldn't do anything to attain that goal, especially if they were on some manhunt for a person that only Jiraiya seemed to be looking for. Of course he had suggested that they split up, but he had been adamant about not splitting up, especially since he was the only one who knew who they were looking for. When asked why, his answer was because he would cause an unnecessary commotion to look for this person, with the added fact it wouldn't settle well if a foreign shinobi suddenly started to look for someone in their own territory. That left them with their present situation, much to Naruto's chagrin.

"How about I train, and you look for this person?" Naruto griped.

"How about no?"

"What's so important that my training that it has to wait?" he bit out, clearly not amused by all this.

"Because this person has something that you might be interested in," the aged hermit replied.

"And that would be?"

"Now that is a surprise," he replied back, winking back at his apprentice.

"It's probably one of your perverted ideas isn't it?" Naruto grumbled, having seen one too many of his antics over the 2 years. And with the added fact that they only had another 6 months before his scheduled return, he wanted to get more training in, especially since according to Jiraiya's schedule, they were nowhere near done yet.

"Oh trust me kid, this is going to be worth your while," Jiraiya assured, although failed to obtain the desired effect.

"What makes you think that this person is even here?" Naruto asked.

"I have my sources," he simply answered. This of course failed to satisfy the young blond.

"You know, I think we're going to need a change of clothes for you," Jiraiya suddenly stated.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?!" Naruto exclaimed, glancing down at his clothes.

"A ninja not only needs to look presentable, but be appropriately dressed for duty," Jiraiya stated, although Naruto had a feeling that when he said presentable, he meant in terms of looking good in front of women. "As such, it is preferred that one wears dark coloured clothing, rather than that bright hit-me orange you seem to like."

"And what's wrong with orange?" Naruto protested. "I like orange."

"Do you like the idea of wearing a big bull's eye on your person all the time?" Jiraiya countered, earning a grumble from the teenager. "Trust me when I say, this'll be part of your training."

"I don't trust you, Ero-sennin," Naruto growled, only to be hit on the top of the head.

"Would you stop calling me that?" Jiraiya screamed, glaring daggers at the blond. "How many times have I asked you not to call me that?" Naruto of course could only smirk in amusement. Unfortunately it was at the same time as his stomach started to growl, defeating the purpose of Naruto's smirk. Letting out a sigh, Jiraiya decided to relent to one of nature's calls, especially since they had been searching for a while with no results, at least for now. He just hoped that his information hadn't expired yet.

"C'mon, let's get some food," he suggested, already having a feeling of what Naruto would pick.

"Ramen," Naruto suddenly called out, pointing towards a ramen store that just happened to be in the boy's field of vision.

"You and your ramen," Jiraiya chortled, and moved to follow him when he watched someone approach the restaurant as well. Quickly grabbing the blond by the scruff of his neck, he said "Hold on a few minutes. I just found our quarry."

"Who is it, and can it wait?" Naruto grumbled. Jiraiya answered his first question by pointing towards someone who was still heading towards the restaurant. Following the indicated directions, his eyes landed on a blond female Kumo ninja, not much older or younger than him. She sported standard jounin attire, including a black short-sleeved turtleneck, black pants with bandages around her ankles, and blank sandals, purple sash around her waist with matching coloured fingerless gloves, bandages around her forearms with a set of prayer beads wrapped around her left arm, and a jounin breast plate with cloud markings over her left chest. Naruto had almost shrugged it off as a simple Cloud Jounin and waste of their time when he felt an urge to give her another look. Finding it hard to ignore it, he gave in and looked again. Looking behind the jounin exterior, he found it odd that he began to take in what laid underneath. Porcelain skin, the fairest he had ever seen, and calm, serene onyx eyes. The subtle curves of her body could be made out by the military garment of her uniform, but it was there. She had sun kissed hair that reached down to her waist was held up in a low ponytail, leaving him wondering what it would look like if it was released.

"Oh…you like what you see?" Jiraiya suddenly commented, pulling Naruto out of his reverie.

"Put a sock in it, Ero-sennin," Naruto sputtered, struggling to rein his sudden blush back under control.

"Of course, of course," Jiraiya chuckled and headed forward, making a bee line straight for the Kumo ninja. Naruto quickly caught up, and by then had brought his blush down. "Excuse me, Kumo-san."

His call drew the ninja's attention, and she looked to see who it was, only to immediately recognise him for who he was. "Jiraiya-sama," she greeted, bowing before him. "I'm honoured. For what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Recited like a true Jounin," Jiraiya chortled, long used to the respect that was carried with is name. "I would like a moment of your time, and to possibly join us for lunch, my treat."

"I-"

"I insist," Jiraiya added, giving her a stare that indicated that he wasn't going to take no for an answer while maintaining a calm pleasant smile.

"Hai," she replied, and followed the Sannin in as he led the two of them into the restaurant. Of course, being a Sannin had its benefits as he quickly acquired a booth in a corner with no window access, and had requested that he'd be given a wide berth for a while. Naturally, they had agreed and relocated customers as necessary, thankfully which wasn't much due to the lower traffic at this hour. They had all placed their orders, and were now quietly waiting for their food. During the time they waited, they said nothing. Jiraiya simply had a relaxed expression, while across from him, he watched the two get comfortable with the idea of sitting next to a foreign ninja, and wondered what in the world he wanted with them.

Shrugging to himself though, he decided to at the very least break the ice. "First, I suppose introductions are in order. This is my apprentice, Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto, this is Kumo Jounin Nii Yugito. And don't ask how I know."

"Umm…hi," Naruto greeted, albeit it awkwardly as he was unsure of what to make of the situation.

"Hi..." Yugito warily greeting, trying to take apart the situation at hand, but considering that it was Jiraiya, she had a feeling that by the time she figured out what exactly was happening Jiraiya's plan would've already come to pass.

"Umm...Ero-sennin-"

"Do you mind?!" Jiraiya irately growled out, "especially in front of this fine jounin?"

"Why do you want to speak with this jounin?" Naruto asked, ignoring Jiraiya's comment, while at the same time missing a minor blush that formed on the jounin's face, one that Jiraiya caught. "We passed many others that we could've spoken to."

"I have my reasons," Jiraiya answered, eyeing the waitress approaching them with their orders. Once satisfied that they were alone, and that they had made enough ramen to appease him long enough, he carried on. "Yugito-san, what do you know of Jinchuriki?" The result was instantaneous, and was presently glad that Yugito was sitting on the inside, especially with that look of worry that formed on her face, while Naruto was looking at him in curiosity.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about," Yugito hastily replied, trying to recompose herself, and get out of the situation fast.

"Don't play with me," Jiraiya sighed, taking a sip of his sake. "I know you carry one, much like this person next to you."

"I'm not-what?" Yugito replied, only to suddenly curse at herself, realizing she had just made a mistake.

Naruto, however, was glancing back and forth between Yugito and Jiraiya. "Wait are you saying that-"

"Yugito-san, meet the jailer of the Kyuubi no Yoko," said Jiraiya introducing Yugito to Naruto, and vice versa. "Naruto, meet the jailer of the Nibi no Bakaneko." Deciding to let the moment sink in, he dug into his ramen while watching the two of them digest the information.

"I don't know what you're doing Jiraiya-sama, but I'm not playing your games," Yugito protested.

"No games, just brining two kinsmen, as it were, together," Jiraiya explained, casually placing more food in his mouth. "After all, I'm sure you both have many things to share about each other."

Glancing over at the boy next to him, she suddenly realised that he had been staring at her. For how long, she had no idea, but when she did she came to realize something. He had some of the saddest eyes she had ever laid her eyes on. She could see the scars of his past, the sadness that enveloped him as a child. It was like he had suffered so much growing up, trying to become something else. That look she saw in his eyes almost seemed like he had at times came close to losing his mind from all hurt and suffering he had to deal with. She had no idea what he had gone through, but clearly he had a horrible childhood. Clearly they walked different paths.

"You're one too huh?" Naruto suddenly stated, pulling Yugito from her thoughts.

"Seems that way," Yugito sighed, seeing that there wasn't much point to hiding it anymore, especially since a Sannin was in front of them telling it to them outright. "But...I do not understand Jiraiya-sama. What was the point of telling us of our Jinchuriki status?"

"Oh there are a number of reasons," Jiraiya stated, waving it off in a dismissive fashion. "One of which was what I told you, I wanted you two to meet, considering your similar status. Secondly," he then reached into his jacket and pulled out a small pamphlet, "there is a festival happening tomorrow night, which both of you will be in attendance."

"What? Ero-sennin what are you-"

"Jiraiya-sama but I have other-"

"I didn't say I _want_ you to be in attendance, I said you _will_ be in attendance," Jiraiya simply stated while eating his food, but the message was made clear. They had little choice on the matter. They were going whether they liked it or not. "With that little issue dealt with, I suggest you find some appropriate clothing. Well in Naruto's case, a much more appropriate outfight than you've got."

"Like I said, what's wrong with my clothes?!" Naruto protested.

"Quite simply, I refuse to continue training someone who wants to dress like that," Jiraiya stated, finish the bowl and washed it down with one last bowl of sake. While it was true that he did not like Naruto's style of choice, he wasn't about to let him know that he would continue to train him either way.

"He's your apprentice?" Yugito asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise that one of the Legendary Sannin had taken on an apprentice.

"You got that right," Jiraiya answered as he stood up. "Enjoy your meal. I've already got the bill covered." With a wave, he walked up to the till, paid for their meal, and calmly walked away leaving the two of them behind.

"You're....you're kidding me," Naruto groaned. "What does he expect us to do?"

"I suppose...enjoy the food, and get to know each other," Yugito calmly stated, helping herself to a mouthful of ramen. Despite initially taken aback by the fact Jiraiya wanted the two of them to associate with one another, she wasn't one to disobey one of the Legendary Sannin. However, she wasn't sure about Naruto considering he had openly argued against Jiraiya from the moment she met the two of them.

"Damn that Ero-sennin," Naruto grumbled, also digging into his ramen.

"How is he a pervert?" Yugito asked raising an eyebrow surprised at the fact Naruto was openly calling his sensei that.

"You know that Icha-Icha series that's been going around?" Naruto asked, eliciting a blush from the older jounin, who simply nodded knowing what that book series was. Whether it was out of embarrassment from the fact she read it, or the shock of what it could mean, he couldn't figure out. "Well he's the author of that damn book."

"EH?"

"Yup," Naruto sighed, and continued to eat.

"I...what...oh my..." Yugito sighed, placing her face into the palm of her left hand.

"What's worse is that he peeks at women's bathhouses to 'research' for his latest books," he added, clearly not amused at his sensei's actions.

"I really didn't need to know that," Yugito sputtered, redden over the fact that she could've possibly been one of those many women he's been researching.

Silence eventually settled over them as they resumed eating. Of course now, the two of them quietly mulled over the fact that they were sitting next to someone who they could easily consider as a relative of sorts. At the very least, they could at least understand each other. They were both Jinchuriki. They both carried a tailed-beast within their bellies. Although the reason as to why Jiraiya would actually want to meet was beyond them at the moment, at least they had someone who they could probably confide to, even if it was a short while before they parted ways. One could almost say that it was a healthy way of letting their emotions out for once, without the mask.

"So…a cat," Naruto commented, draining down the last of the broth.

"Yeah," Yugito nodded, pushing her bowl away. "And you have a fox."

"An annoying one at that," Naruto muttered, glancing down to his belly. "Damn thing doesn't like me one bit."

"I can't say the same thing with mine," Yugito commented, propping her elbows on the table. "She's been there for me since I was little."

"Been there for you?"

"I've known about her since I was 4 or 5," she elaborated. "We have a working respect for each other. She offers me chakra, and I use that chakra to keep us both alive."

"What about...the villagers?" he asked, curious as to how she grew up. "Didn't they hate you?" A frowned formed on her face at the question. Unfortunately that statement was a cause for concern for her considering how she grew up being treated as a normal child. And judging from the look in his eyes, she seriously wondered what in the world he went through to have that kind of look. The thought actually made her shudder a bit, considering she's never seen someone with that kind of look before.

"Not…exactly," she answered, starring down at her. "I…I grew up like any other child. Although my parents passed away when I was young, the village always took good care of me. I grew up in an orphanage for a few years before being adopted…got help whenever I asked…was respected for who I was…I never had a troubling life. Of course, a lot of the villagers…worship me. Because I am the carrier of the Nibi, I'm some sort of messiah, sent down from the heavens above to be the jailor of the demon

"I am what I am," Yugito calmly sighed, and turned to face the blond. "I cannot change the fact that I am the Nibi's jailer. I cannot change that I am the carrier of a monster in the village's eyes. But, who I am, is different."

"Who you are?"

"What we are, never changes," Yugito continued on, nodding in response to Naruto's question, "but who we are, never stops. I maybe cannot change the fact I'm a Jinchuriki, but I can change who I am. I can always be known as a jailor but I can always have people also remember me for who I am, like a caring mother, a good friend, a beautiful women with a sour personality, all these, I can change. I control who I am. I control how people, who look past what I am, think of me. That is what I can change. I can change myself to leave a different impression."

"Yugito-san..."

"And what about you?" she asked, giving Naruto a level stare. "What do you want to change about yourself? Who do you want to become?"

"That's an easy one," Naruto chortled, thumbing towards his hitai-ite on his forehead. "I plan to become Hokage."

"And why's that?"

"So that people can recognise me, and I can be able to protect everyone and everything that's precious to me," Naruto confidently declared. "I never go back on my word. That's my way of the shinobi."

"Much like a fox," Yugito commented.

"Huh?"

"Foxes, according to lore, are beings who always keep their promises," Yugito elaborated. "It seems to suit you."

"You think?" Naruto embarrassingly chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

"What was your life like?" Yugito inquired, now a bit curious about the blond next to her. "I see there are similarities, but on different extremes."

"You could say that," he admitted. Seeing as how he probably wouldn't accomplish much in the ways of training at the moment, he decided he may as well pass the time. Launching straight into the matter, he explained to Yugito his life story, beginning back when he was child. She listened to him intently as he explained how he grew up in fear, in pain, not knowing or understanding why he was being attacked and beaten up. It wasn't something that he couldn't control, but he never knew why. As he grew older, he got better and better at hiding himself from the villagers and shinobi who wanted nothing more than to kill him or beat him up. It eventually escalated to the point that he developed his stealth abilities and applied them to his new way of attracting attention: playing pranks on the village.

It eventually led to him regaling in his various acts and deeds upon the village that he had pulled over the years. The major highlight, at least in Yugito's mind was how he had defaced the Hokage monument by painting on all of their faces. Her amusement was only furthered by the fact that he had managed to successfully evade several jounin and chuunin before being caught by his academy sensei, who just had a real good knack of finding the boy no matter where he was. Of course at this point, he had wanted to become Hokage so that the people of his village would recognise him as a person, and not some sort of pariah, but as the times went by his goal remained the same, but the reason behind them grew and evolved. Of course, that only attested to her earlier statement of whom and what one was were two completely different things.

"That's…that's quite the story…" Yugito commented, taken aback listening to him regale in a past he was not happy with. It was a miracle in itself that he was sitting next to her today still sound of mind, instead of some grazed lunatic who had snapped under the pressure of the hatred and anger of the village. Although she could understand the feeling of being viewed as something due to circumstances they couldn't control, what the villagers felt towards Naruto was nothing like what her villagers felt towards her. If anything, if she died or something had happened to her, the village would've been up in arms as the Raikage would immediately take steps to ensure her safety.

"I…I don't know what to say," she said apologetically, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm used to it," he sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides…I've been changing people. Most of the villagers just don't like me instead of hate me. But there are people out that who like me or recognise me. So I have to be doing something right."

"I suppose so," she wryly chuckled, still amazed at the strength of character in Naruto. She could say that he was quite the character. The fact that he was still normal was a tribute to that strength. Adding to the fact that he was still loyal to his village was indicative of how much hope he held that his village would one day truly recognise him.

Glancing down at a watch she kept underneath her glove, she raised an eyebrow when she realized what time it was. "We've been here for over an hour," she commented.

"Didn't feel like it," Naruto commented as he got out of his seat.

"No…it didn't," she agreed and got out of her seat as well. "Well...it was nice meeting you. I guess I'll see you tomorrow night."

"I guess," he sighed, before his expression turned sour. "Now I have to get new clothes..."

"I do have to agree with Jiraiya-sama though..."

"Not you too?" he sourly exclaimed.

"I could probably see you a mile away with that get-up," she commented, giving him a bit of an apologetic expression. "I'm inclined to agree with Jiraiya-sama on this."

"Then help me," Naruto grumbled. "I don't know what I should wear, while keeping orange!"

"If you like," Yugito acquiesced. "I was supposed to leave tomorrow, but I can't exactly refuse a Sannin's request."

"Then let's go!" Naruto exclaimed, walking out the door with Yugito in tow. "Umm…Yugito-san."

"Hmm…yes Uzumaki-san?"

"Uh...where exactly can I get appropriate clothes?" The result of his question was the look of extreme disbelief forming on the Kumo-nin's face. She shook her head in exasperation before leading him to a few clothing stores she knew of.

From afar, Jiraiya smiled both in amusement and satisfaction; little did they know that he had been listening in. Quietly, he muttered, "Kid, you'll thank me for this later."

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"So...had a good time?" Jiraiya asked when he watched Naruto enter their apartment. "Oh, and I see you took my advise and got new clothes." Although not outwardly expressing it, a wave of nostalgia hit him hard as he took in Naruto's style of dress. He now sported a black turtleneck and black pants with bandage bindings around his ankles. However, accenting it was strips of a dark red-orange running down the sides of his sleeves, his shirt, and his pants. And completing the setup was a pair of armlets. Without realising it, Naruto had actually dressed in a style similar to that of the Uzumaki clan, save for the fact that it was red, instead of orange. Added with the fact of his physical features, he was becoming more and more like his father.

"Yugito-san helped," Naruto grumbled throwing the bag that held his original clothes onto his bed.

"On a first name basis already are we kid?" Jiraiya teased, quirking his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

"Oh cut that out Ero-sennin," Naruto groaned. "Can you not be so perverted, for even five minutes?"

"But I told you," Jiraiya began as he started posing. "I'm a Super-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, a Super Pervert," Naruto stated, closing the door to the bathroom.

"Well then," Jiraiya huffed annoyed that Naruto had stopped him in the middle of posing. "At least stage one is completed."

**A/N: I credit lord of the land of fire with the concept of the style of clothing of the Uzumaki Clan**


	2. Chapter 2

**Who we Are, What we Are**

**Chapter II**

"Well then, shall we get going?" Jiraiya suggested, smirking in amusement at his apprentice who was presently dressed in his new attire, most definitely more appropriate for someone in his line of work. Of course there was the added fact that he looked like a particular someone, but he wasn't about to go say that; not yet anyhow.

"Yeah, yeah, let's get this over with," Naruto grumbled, adjusting his personal gear so that they were all appropriately secured.

"Now what's with that attitude?" Jiraiya asked, chuckling in amusement. "You look good, both as a ninja, and as a man."

"Can we just get going?" Naruto demanded from Jiraiya, wanting to finish the evening as soon as possible.

"Alright, alright, let's go," Jiraiya happily decreed, leading Naruto out of their hotel building. "And you shouldn't be so grumpy. We did just spend the day training."

"If you call a morning of taijutsu sparring and an afternoon of studying training," Naruto grumbled unhappily.

"Don't be silly," Jiraiya stated dismissively. "Knowledge is power. You can have all the best techniques in the world, but if you don't have the strategic knowledge how to deal with your enemies, then all you will do is just get yourself killed. And don't forget, Kages aren't just strong, they're also highly intelligent and educated people."

"Yeah, yeah, diplomatic abilities and all, I get that," Naruto replied in that same unhappy tone, knowing what exactly was required of him when he became Hokage.

"Keep that in mind, and you'll definitely succeed," the Sannin replied, giving Naruto a thumbs up.

The rest of the walk down to the arranged meeting point was held in silence, leaving the two of them to their thoughts. Naruto, being the simple minded boy that he was, was focused mostly on the fact that he was losing precious time on his training. But instead of continuing to improve himself so that he could one day succeed Tsunade as Hokage, he was spending an evening at a festival with a girl, a Kumo girl who was a ninja at that, wasting his time at Jiraiya's insistence. Of course he had little to say in the matter since the both of them were forced to accompany him in this excursion. Naturally this irritated him quite a bit, but sadly the two of them could do little about it. Since either could deter the Sannin, he just hoped that there were ramen stands around so that he could just focus his mind on that for the evening.

Jiraiya on the other hand had a secretive grin plastered across his face. Although the initial aspects of his plan were hastily slapped together, he could already see it blossoming in the coming future. Of course he had to thank his informants for this particular piece of information. His dealings with Akatsuki were anything but enjoyable. Although they had yet to make a move on Naruto, they had started to become a lot more active, beginning to actively gather all the other tailed-beasts, for what purpose he had yet to determine. But at present, phase one of the plan was in motion. Although at the moment, he had a feeling that he was going to get some sort of pleasant by-product out of all this, especially since Yugito was only 16. He struggled to keep in that lecherous giggle, but controlled it he did. The last thing he needed right now was Naruto's usual tirade about his perversions, not that he was ashamed of it. But if things went well, he could at throw a wrench in Akatsuki's plans. A few more if everything fell into place.

"Now let's see...where's that Yugito," Jiraiya mumbled, looking around as he tried to locate the blonde Kumo jounin. "Be on the look out kid. We have no idea how she's going to be dressed."

"How about her normal clothing," Naruto stated.

"Don't be silly," Jiraiya waved off dismissively. "There's no chance that-"

"No, I mean she _is_ wearing her normal clothes," Naruto restated, grabbing Jiraiya by the shoulder and turned him to face Yugito, who was, as Naruto stated, wearing her standard Kumo attire.

"WHAT?!!" the great Jiraiya gasped; scandalized at the fact that Yugito had actually showed up in her jounin attire. "This won't do at all! This just won't do!! Women are supposed to dress up in kimonos or yutakas! This won't do!" Then almost as fast as he had reacted, he grabbed the blondes and bolted straight for the nearest clothing store that sold yutakas and approached the counter. "I demand that you find this find young lady a yutaka fit for a noblewoman!"

"Eh?" the storekeeper replied, caught a bit off guard by Jiraiya's sudden outburst.

"Hmm?" Jiraiya replied back, giving the storekeeper a level stare.

"Right...right away," the store keeper replied, and started going through the store to find an appropriate yutaka.

"Jiraiya-sama, there's no need to-"

"Unless you have a yutaka of your own, I'm getting you one!" Jiraiya declared, giving Yugito another one of his levelled stares that indicated that he would not be swayed. Of course this led to the two blondes with him to sign in resignation as they watched the Sannin go about picking out Yugito's clothes for the evening. And in Naruto's case, he had a very bad feeling in his gut.

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"There that should do," Jiraiya happily stated. And much to Naruto's surprise, his sensei had actually done a good job with dressing Yugito. Where she was originally wearing her Kumo gear, now sealed into a scroll courtesy of Jiraiya, she now wore a lavender yutaka with golden cloud embroidery. Complimenting was a yellow-orange obi wrapped around her lithe waist, with matching yellow-green cloud patterns. Although he had managed to convince Yugito to remove her hitai-ite, she had flatly refused to do up her hair. So he had compromised by replacing the cloth that held her ponytail, with a simple matching lavender ribbon that hung down her back, instead of how it was original wrapped around her ponytail.

"I think I've outdone myself," Jiraiya proudly stated with a large grin on his face, while in the corner of his eyes watched Naruto's action. And clearly, he had definitely outdone himself if he managed to get Naruto to gawk at a girl like that.

Naruto had to blink a few times as he tried to process what he was looking at. He found it hard to believe it, but she looked far much prettier than Sakura, even the girl at the waterfall he came to realize couldn't compare. The yutaka served to accentuate the curves of her body. He could make out the womanly curves of her still growing body. With the added fact that she was now standing before him as a teenaged girl, rather than that jounin he had met yesterday, he began to see her in an attractive light, almost as if she was glowing. Even the way she stood held the regal aura, that haughty pride that seemed to be seen in felines of various lineages. But what drew him in was that particular expression in her eyes.

She was looking back at herself in disbelief, almost as if she couldn't believe that she was actually seeing herself dressed like this, as if this was nothing but a fleeting dream; one that she wanted to enjoy for as long as possible before it slipped through her fingers back into the infinity where it would stay, forever out of her grasp. That sparkle in her eyes, told him more than he thought he'd ever be told. Despite the confidence, the superiority that came with her rank, the commanding presence that she carried in her eyes, he could see that hidden under all that was a young girl who wanted to life a normal life, to grow up liked and respected, to have avoided the hardships in her life, to life a different life, even if that meant that she wasn't a shinobi.

Suddenly realizing that these thoughts were entering his mind, he began to wonder, 'When did I start thinking like that?' It was as if a part of him that had been lying dormant within him was starting to awaken.

'I've REALLY outdone myself,' Jiraiya mentally smirked, especially since he'd seen that expression before on one other person. 'You really take after your mother kid. I remember seeing that expression when she saw your father in his wedding clothes.'

"How...how do I look?" Yugito asked, turning to look at Jiraiya and Naruto for their opinion.

"Perfect!" was Jiraiya's immediate reply, flashing her, a big grin and thumbs up. Naruto, however, was left speechless. Of course, Jiraiya wasn't too surprised. Deciding to help him out a little, he clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder and said, "I think you've blown him away if he's not talking. Wouldn't you agree, Naruto?"

"Ah...yeah...Yeah!" he replied, recovering from his shock. "You look great!"

"Well then...since that's been dealt with, have fun," Jiraiya stated with his trademark grin and a wave.

"Wait...I know that look...wait-" Naruto started to say, only to watch as his sensei disappeared in a swirl of leaves, "a second...damn that Ero-sennin." Letting out a heavy sigh, he turned to Yugito and said, "I guess it's just you and me."

"I guess so," Yugito agreed, taking a few breaths to regain her composure. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah...sure," Naruto agreed, suddenly offering up his arm, earning a surprised expression from the female blonde.

"Quite the gentleman," she commented, taking hold of Naruto's proffered arm.

"Well..." Naruto began, shyly scratching the back of his head as he led her out of the store, "Ero-sennin did teach me a few things..."

"Oh?"

"Yeah...surprisingly, they weren't his usual perverted lessons," Naruto stated in amusement.

"So...what exactly did he teach you?" Yugito asked.

"Well...how to escort a lady...how I should act...how to treat a lady...a lot of boring stuff," he sheepishly explained.

"Well I'm glad he taught you how," Yugito stated, a small smile on her lips.

"You think so?"

"You think I would have minded walked arm in arm with someone if I didn't think they were at least somewhat gentlemanly?" Yugito responded, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"I suppose," Naruto chuckled.

"So," Yugito paused, wondering if she should even ask this question, before deciding to ask, "Naruto-san, if you don't mind me asking; how old are you?"

"I turn 16 next month," he answered. "And you?"

"I just turned 16," she replied, both of them coming to realize that they were the same age.

"Wow! And you're already jounin!" Naruto commented surprised that there was someone who was ranked jounin that young.

"It's nothing," she answered, shrugging off the compliment as if it was nothing. "I have my reasons for wanting to rank up."

"You want to change who you are, huh?" Naruto asked, remembering what Yugito had said yesterday about her philosophy.

"That's part of it," she answered, glancing around as they walked along a line of various stands. "But…it's more like I want to be able to step out of the shadow that the Nibi casts over me. It is a big shadow though, considering that she's one of the most powerful beings that our country possesses. But instead of hearing how I'm some sort of deity, I want to be able to hear people talking about Nii Yugito, one of the best ninjas of Kumogakure, or maybe hear some sort of title that others have given me. I want to be able to talk beside what I am. Not be overshadowed by it. Being a Jounin helps…but I still need to keep working at it before I can truly step out of this shadow."

"I still have a long way to go," Naruto sighed, looking straight ahead as he and Yugito walked. "I'm still a genin."

"No way," Yugito gasped, surprised at this particular fact of Naruto. "I thought you were at least chuunin, considering that you're Jiraiya-sama's apprentice."

"Well...apparently I didn't impress them enough during the chuunin exams," Naruto sighed, remembering how out of all the genin only Shikamaru was promoted to chuunin at the time. "Haven't been home for 2 years now, I've missed a lot of exams. But that doesn't matter. Even if I'm still a genin, I'll definitely become Hokage! And that's a promise!"

"You're pretty ambitious," Yugito commented grinning in amusement and admiration at his determination, "and persistent, if you've been pursuing this dream for over 10 years."

"No matter how long it takes, I'll become Hokage," he confidently stated. "The best one that every existed. And I don't go back on my word."

"I look forward to that day when I see you wearing that mantle of leadership, Naruto-san," Yugito confidently answered back. Her eyes wandered the stalls for a moment before coming to a stop at a particular gaming stall, and the prize being a particularly large blue plush cat. "Say...how you feel like winning a plush for me?"

"Eh?"

"C'mon," she chuckled, and pulled Naruto along towards the stand. It was a simple ring toss game. Pointing to the large cat, she said, "Win me that thing."

"That'll be 100 ryo," the attendant stated, receiving the coinage from Naruto before handing him three rings. "The game is simple, toss the rings at the prize you want, and make sure that ring lands on the corresponding post."

"Well then," Naruto mumbled, lined up his shot, and tossed the ring with pinpoint accuracy of a ninja, and watched as it landed on the post, only to bounce off. He quirked an eyebrow and frowned a bit. Tossing his second ring, he watched it bounce again, despite knowing full well that he had a perfect shot. Growling a bit in irritation, he dropped another 100 ryo for three more rings and took his shirt shot and watched it bounce again.

"Eh?"

Yugito couldn't help but sigh. The first shot already told her that the ring was just a bit too small for the block post; the whole thing was rigged. The smart thing was to have secretively increased the size of the ring, and then toss it, preferably the third shot to allow a bit of time to expand it to an appropriate size. She leaned in to pass this advice only to see his off-hand starting to expand a ring while he took aim with his fourth ring. Perhaps he wasn't as unintelligent as he appeared to be. Mulling it over in her head for a moment, he was a ninja who all specialised in many forms of deception; that and perhaps he was just a bit slower than most, or wanted to deceived all those around him. But it mattered not to her, since she was now guaranteed to have her desired plush toy.

"I'm going to get this," he muttered and tossed again, only for yet again another failed shot. His fifth shot also ended in failure. Signing in annoyance, he took careful aim and tossed his last ring, and watched in trepidation as the ring caught the post and looped around it several times, before watching it slide down into place.

"Yatta!" he exclaimed, despite knowing full well that he just cheated. "Hand that cat over," he demanded. Yugito watched from behind in amusement as the attendant handed him the large plush in disbelief and surprise. Of course, he probably had not recognised the fact that he was a ninja, which she immediately banished from her mind, especially since he was still wearing his hitai-ite. The plausible explanation was that he appeared to be an unintelligent buffoon. If that were the case, she had to give Naruto credit for deceiving those who observed him playing the game.

"Here you go, one cat plush," Naruto declared, handing the stuffed animal to blonde kunoichi.

"Arigatou, Naruto-san," she replied, accepting the offered plush.

"I see that you got your lovely date quite the cute gift," Jiraiya suddenly commented from behind, scaring the two of them from behind.

"The hell did you come from?!" Naruto exclaimed, glaring at his sensei accusingly.

"A good ninja never reveals his tricks," the Sannin wisely stated, much to the younger blonde's consternation.

"What do you want? And what do you mean by date?" Naruto grumbled, staring at Jiraiya pointedly.

"Just dropping by, seeing how you two are doing," he casually answered as he whipped out a scroll and wrote up a seal sealing Yugito's plush inside, before giving it to her. "And you don't call spending the evening, with a lovely young lady in this here festival, a date?"

"I call it being forced to hang out with each other because YOU brought us here, and left us behind," Naruto answered back, giving Jiraiya an annoyed glare.

Acting as if Naruto never said anything, he pointed off somewhere and said, "Well there is dance that's taking place by the bonfire over there." The two glanced over to where the aged hermit indicated to see the familiar glow of a large bonfire.

"And why did you-" Naruto began to ask, only to find that he was suddenly talking to air again, especially since his sensei was nowhere to be seen. "Again..."

"Jiraiya-sama seems to enjoy doing this, doesn't he?" Yugito commented, moving to place the scroll into her yutaka when Naruto gently relieved her of the object, and pocketed it into one of his pouches. "You didn't have…"

"I wanted to," Naruto mumbled blushing at bit; especially due to the fact that he had actually decided to follow yet another one of Jiraiya's lesson, which was to offer to carry things for the lady, on in this case, simply carry it for her without offering. He wasn't sure why he did it though. "Do you want to check it out?" he suddenly blurted out, again not sure what in the world he was doing. But despite feeling embarrassed about it, he noticed he wasn't really adverse to the idea of possibly dancing with Yugito.

"Why not," Yugito accepted, took his arm in hers and starting making their way down towards the bonfire. They continued to walk in relative silence until a question came to mind. "What was it like...growing up? Did you live in fear? Did you always have to run? Always have to hide?" Naruto took a few minutes to ponder on the question. It wasn't a topic that he particularly enjoyed talking about. It hurt him to remember it, especially with all the pain that had been associated with it. But somehow, talking about it with someone who could somewhat relate made him at the very least feel a bit more relaxed with the idea of talking about it. Although she wouldn't understand it all, he hoped that she could at least see some of his pains.

"I was always scared," he finally answered. "I never knew why they hated me until I graduated. I always had to hide... had to run...at night especially. The kids never wanted to play with me. Their parents somehow affected the kids, and they were afraid of me or hated me. But I don't think any of them knew why. They probably never told their kids about what was inside of me. But...they never tried to be my friend. Some tried to bully me. I'm not sure how I survived it, but I guess after I started to play pranks on everyone, and began proclaiming that I was going to be Hokage, it helped me a little. I started to wear a smile everywhere...but...it always hurt. Everyone never knew how much I hurt...it was hard...it's still hard..."

"Naruto-san..."

"I guess that's the fate of the people like us," he wryly stated, thinking back to when Neji preached day in and day out about fate. "I can't change what I am...so I want to change who I am. That's why I want to become Hokage. I want to people to see me for me, not for what I am, or what I carry...and...protect the village, and those precious to me."

"That's...quite harsh," she sighed, tightening her grip around his arm.

"It'll always be with me, the memories," he sighed. "But it'll make me stronger. Knowing that I got over it, it makes me stronger.

"What about you, Yugito-san? What was your life like?"

"It's like I said yesterday," Yugito sighed, staring off forlornly. "I was respected, I was liked, but I was always said to be the Nibi's jailor. Caught under that big shadow, my identity was obscured by it, hidden in darkness. I never had to steal to survive. I always had food on my table, and I was treated like a normal student in the academy…or as normal as I could get considering what I was. But wanting to step out of that shadow since I was little, I worked hard to where I am now. But even then…I still have people still worshipping me, or giving me more respect than I'd like…I still have a while before I can step out of that shadow. I don't remember when, but I remember it was when I was still in the academy that I eventually found my belief of wanting to change who I was.

"We can't change the fact we're containers of a tailed-beast. But...we can change how people look at us. That's what I want to do...in my own way. You want to become Hokage, and gain the respect of everyone in your village. But...I can be happy if there were people who could see Nii Yugito...not the demon container...just Nii Yugito."

"Yugito-san..."

"So I can understand the need to be recognised by others," Yugito sighed. "We grew up being thought of things we didn't want to be thought as. It's almost as if they view us different than human. We had attention…that we didn't want, instead of needed. Can I safely guess that you grew up without your parents?"

"I...I never knew them," Naruto admitted sadly, staring off somewhere, not wanting to let her see the sting in his eyes at the reminder that he didn't even have any real parents growing up, until he met Iruka.

"I think...that's part of the fate that's handed down to us...to grow up never knowing our true family...probably died protecting us...or giving birth to us...all I know was that my father died on missions before I was ever born and my mother died giving birth to me...giving me my name with her last breath..."

"Your lucky," Naruto sighed.

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't even know what happened to them...they just...disappeared, like they never existed...no one knows who they were...there's no record of Uzumaki in the records that I can access...I'm alone, literally." The two of them came to an eventual stop as they stared off towards the massive bonfire. "I have friends...I have people I can call nii-san or nee-chan...but...no one to call otou-san or okaa-san...not even a grave that I can visit...to tell them how I'm doing...you at least know what happened to them, even if you never met them. I can't say the same..."

"Naruto-san..."

"But...I'd like to think that...somewhere out there, they're happy, they're proud of what I've become," he stated, staring up at the starry night sky. "I think they're watching me...although unable to do anything, I'd like to think that they're helping me somehow. But...I want to know who they are. Maybe when I die someday...I can finally meet them, and show them what I became...tell them my stories and hear them tell me stories..."

"Keep thinking that," said Yugito. "Take it in, but keep all the good, and let the bad flow away. I think your parents want you to be happy. Any real parent, all they want is to watch their children grow up happy. Keep your head up, work hard, and achieve your dreams, and I will do the same."

"Hmm..." he agreed, and stared off towards the fire. As he watched the flames dance, he somehow could feel, in some strange way, that his parents were in there, staring back him, urging him to carry on, to continue walking the path he walked, and become a powerful man. And at the same time, he could see the shadow of his mother urge him to go on and ask her. For some reason, he felt it was the natural thing for a mother to do, and so he acquiesced.

"Say...do you want to dance?" he suddenly asked.

"Sure, I'd like that," Yugito agreed, and allowed herself to be led towards where everyone else was dancing.

Standing at the edge of where everyone else danced, the two of them took a moment to see what everyone else was doing, and simply opted to copy what they saw. Taking a few breaths to relax a bit, Naruto eventually placed his hands on Yugito's waist as she placed her hands on his shoulders. They listened momentarily to the steady beats of the drums, learning the rhythm of the song, slowly joining the flow of the music. Their feet acted on their own. With each successive beat, they moved. As the music continued to steadily play, they danced. As one being, they moved; they stepped; they glided.

As they danced, they couldn't help but be caught in the whirlpool of one another's eyes. They really saw a part of themselves in the other. They both had suffered, and grown from the pain of their experiences. They didn't let the past control them. They controlled the past. They controlled how the past affected them. There was clear resolution in each other. They were resolute of the paths they walked, even if they were different paths. But at the same time, they could feel that their paths could somehow fit together. It was almost as perfect as they came to realize how perfect they seemed to physically fit together. It felt as if her hands were meant to fit, to rest comfortably on his shoulders, while his hands easily moulded into the curves of her waste, as if they were cut from the same stone, forming perfect halves of the other.

"You dance quite well," Yugito commented.

"My first time," Naruto sheepishly admitted.

"Quite well, for a beginner....although I will admit, that this is also my first time," said Yugito, blushing a bit from admitting that it was also her first time dancing.

But despite that, they continued to quietly dance. Together, they enjoyed the moment for as long as possible. Because tomorrow, they would both return to the shinobi world; a world where the next time they met, they would probably be enemies.


	3. Chapter 3

**Who we Are, What we Are**

**Chapter III**

For Naruto, tomorrow came far too soon than he would've liked. In actuality, he had been disappointed when he and Yugito had to eventually part. He didn't know why, but he felt like a piece of himself was missing that night as he tried to catch a few hours of sleep before he and Jiraiya had to leave. And now, here they were at the gates of a small village in Lightning country as they said their goodbyes and headed their separate ways.

"Well it best we'd be going on our way," Jiraiya sighed, extending his hand out towards the cat Jinchuriki. "It's been a pleasure, Nii-san."

"That it has, Jiraiya-sama," Yugito replied, accepting his handshake.

"I'll give you two a minute," said Jiraiya, disappearing in a puff of smoke leaving the two blondes alone, much to Naruto's annoyance.

However, seeing he could do nothing about it, he turned his attention back towards Yugito. "I guess I'll see you around."

"I suppose so…" she sighed, offering her hand out towards Naruto. "I hope the next we meet, it won't be as enemies."

Naruto simply let out a wry chuckle and took her hand in his and gave it a firm handshake of his own. "It won't be. We'll be friends."

"I certainly hope you're right," Yugito sighed. Although they were friends, the both of them knew that Kumo and Konoha were not on friendly terms with one another. If their paths and missions crossed each other, they knew that they would forcibly become enemies, and could say for certain that if they had to choose between each other, and their village, they would pick their village. They just hoped that the other would understand each other if it came down to one or the other had to die. "Good luck on your goals, Naruto-kun."

"Didn't I tell you?" he chuckled, pointing a thumb towards himself. "I don't go back on my word. I WILL become Hokage. That is a promise. I'll be the best there is."

"I look forward to that day," said Yugito, offering him a light smile.

A comfortable silence fell upon the two as they took one last good look at one another. Still dressed in the same black clothes he wore, Yugito couldn't help but think that he looked handsome in that compared to the original orange jumpsuit he seemed to adore. He looked a lot more mature for his age compared to his original clothes, which suited the look in his eyes. It was a lot like her own, but it held their own spark, just like how her own eyes held their own charm and beauty. Naruto on the other hand simply looked at Yugito. Although he hardly knew her, he could at least understand her in some ways. They both walked similar paths, but they strived for their own goals. And for some reason, he felt that in the end, he and Yugito's paths would eventually cross and become one, leading the two of them to some ultimate goal, meant only for Jinchuriki.

"I guess I'll see you around, Yugito-san," said Naruto, waving goodbye to her before turning to catch up with Jiraiya.

Yugito watched the two walk off towards the distance for a while. "Until we meet again," she said to no one in particular before leaping off towards her own destination.

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From the corner of his eyes, Jiraiya watched in amusement at Naruto's sullen mood. Clearly he had already developed some sort of attachment towards his fellow Jinchuriki, even if it was from the simple fact that he understood Yugito's position as a Jinchuriki. They walked similar paths, being hated for things they had no control over. He never understood how humans could be so cruel, but he had to put it up as the fact humans didn't understand a lot of things. Whatever they didn't know, or understand, they usually feared. It had been so long since any mention of a tail-beast had been mentioned, that their existence was forgotten or was considered legend.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Jiraiya remarked, noting how Naruto was not acting like his usual exuberant self.

"Hmm? It's nothing," he deadpanned, almost as if he didn't hear what he was saying, which earned a curious look from the Toad Hermit. He was now wondering if Naruto really had it bad for Yugito if he was responding like this. From what he remembered, he never acted like this when he had left Konoha, despite leaving behind people he cared about, and the girl that he liked. This got his mind working for a few moments before coming to the amusing conclusion that meeting Yugito had made a deeper impression Naruto on some sort of level that not even the people of Konoha could.

"Oh?" he questioned in amusement. "Then why do you have that cat your head?"

"Hmm?" he responded again, "Because she's cute." His attention never left the front as he continued to walk forward aimlessly.

'Damn, they must've really gotten close last night if he's like this,' Jiraiya noted, now wondering in amusement what was waiting for Naruto at their next destination. That and the added fact that he said 'she' when referring to the cat only widened his grin since Naruto had just indirectly referred to Yugito, considering what her tenant was. With another 6 months before they had to return, Jiraiya figured he'd be able to see the first stages of plan eventually come together and bear fruit; or so he hoped.

As they quietly walked, Naruto's mind continued to drift back towards the blonde they had left behind. He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. What stood out the most in his mind's eye were her eyes. They were happy. They held certain warmth that he knew was lacking in his eyes. She grew up knowing love, kindness, and happiness. He never got to experience any of that. But despite the opposite looks in their eyes and as strange as it seemed, he found comfort knowing that there were those like him who could grow up happy, and treated normally. Perhaps he was just unfortunate that the demon sealed inside him was the attacker of the village. Thinking more about the differences in their lives, Gaara's eyes slowly faded into view. He and Gaara shared similar eyes, which were opposite to Yugito's. They wallowed in pain and suffering while Yugito bathed in happiness and care. It was clear who lived the better life, and yet it was also due to where they grew up, and how they grew. And although their lives differed, they all shared one commonality: they were all carriers of a tailed-beast.

And as his mind continued to mull over his present train of thought, Yugito's visage began to slowly take over his mind's eye as his thoughts slowly diverted to Yugito. She continued to curiously pervade his thoughts as his he tried to understand what he was feeling towards her. He didn't really understand, but there was something about the fact that she seemed to have been made specifically to mould into his body and his to hers. His hands just rested so comfortably around her waist which also made him wonder if he wrapped his arms completely around her waist. What would it have been like if he did? And it just felt right to have her hands on his shoulders, or possibly even around his neck had she decided to. Various aspects of her began to creep up on his mind as he continued to ponder on it: her scent, her sunlight hair, her skin, her eyes, her body, just everything about her pervaded his thoughts, like an unstoppable wave.

"Just…what is she to me," Naruto sighed, staring ahead thoughtfully.

"A fellow Jinchuriki who seems to have captured your attention," Jiraiya suddenly stated.

"Huh?"

"It's clear to me that she's captured your attention," the Sannin replied, nodding sagely. "You find that you can't stop thinking about her, and various aspects of her begin to start forming in your mind; such as her smell, her skin, her eyes, maybe even her smile. You begin to start dissecting these thoughts to her, which eventually begin to bring up the topic of her personality, among other things. Simply put, you stand on the border of a strong crush or obsession, or falling in love with the girl."

"Eh?" Naruto screamed, looking at his sensei scandalously.

"Nothing wrong with that," said Jiraiya, waving it off dismissively. "It's normal for a boy your age to start noticing girls. The difference is that you are starting to seriously concern yourself with whether or not she's the one. You find you're evaluating whether or not what you feel towards her is the sign of love, or a simple infatuation because of some sort of aspect of her, be it her eyes, her body, or otherwise, that you find attractive; superficial reasons in that case."

"You seem to know a lot about this…"

"What do you expect?" Jiraiya stated, chuckling at his apprentices stare at him. "I am after all the author of the Icha-Icha series. I have to know these things about love if I'm going to write such stories."

"I…I see…" Naruto mumbled, twitching at bit at the fact that Jiraiya had answered that particular question wholeheartedly.

"But right now, you're confused, and unsure of what you're feeling," he continued on. "Just give it some time. After all, you probably won't see Yugito-san for a while."

"I suppose," Naruto sighed, deciding to put the matter to rest for now. "So…where do we go from here?"

"Waterfall country," he answered.

"What's there?"

"Some of the best raging waters to train your chakra control, and another person we need to meet," he replied.

"Another one like me and Yugito-san?" Naruto asked, hopeful of what was to come all of a sudden.

"More interested in the Jinchuriki than your training Naruto?" Jiraiya asked, amused at the sudden spark of enthusiasm from the boy.

"Of course I like training more than meeting people," Naruto replied in his normal bravado. "But if there are others like me, I'd still like to meet them."

"Then meet this person you will," Jiraiya stated. "We'll be meeting the 7-tails at some point during our stay there."

Naruto only nodded towards Jiraiya's statement, as his mind was more focused towards wondering who this particular person was. Did the person suffer as Gaara, Yugito, and he did? Did this person live in poverty? Was this person happy with their present life? Many questions filled his mind as he asked more questions about this person that he just couldn't quite answer yet. This of course amused Jiraiya to no end as he watched his student quietly ponder. He directed his attention ahead as he quietly led his charge towards Waterfall.

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"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS ERO-SENNIN!" Naruto angrily bellowed as he struggled to complete the present task before him. Having just arrived after a 4-day travel from Lightning Country, Jiraiya had immediately set out to find an appropriate training sight, and had immediately tasked Naruto with his present task at hand: perform the water walking exercise in a raging river, but being able to stand perfectly still. Struggling against the raging currents of the river, he struggled to maintain control of his chakra while trying to stay balanced atop the water, let alone standing completely still like how Jiraiya was presently doing, while laughing at the expense of his student. With the two of them dressed in nothing but their swimming trunks, they continued to train while the raging waters roared around them.

"You'll thank me for this later," Jiraiya replied over the roar of the river, laughing wholeheartedly as he continued to watch Naruto struggling to balance while at the same time fight against the current. Although he was by far better than he was when he first left with him, to the point he could easily destroy his old ninja self, Naruto still had a lot to learn before he could reach his full potential. But he was getting there. It would only be a matter of time before he learned all he could, and either took on a new master, or started to self-teach techniques and abilities. But at the moment, he would continue to learn and grow. How far he would grow, he had no idea, but he knew from the bottom of his heart that Naruto would grow to surpass him and the Yondaime in the future.

"LIKE HELL I WILL!" Naruto shouted back towards Jiraiya.

"Wouldn't it be wiser to concentrate on keeping afloat than talking to me?" Jiraiya taunted, glancing towards his left where the river suddenly cut off. "I mean it is a long way down from here."

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO?!" Naruto retorted, slipping and nearly falling into the water before regaining his balance, or some semblance of it.

"Hmm…maybe I should take him to the Land of Whirlpools afterwards," Jiraiya mumbled to himself, as a large grin started to form on his face as he tried to imagine Naruto struggling to maintain his grip on the water while trying not to get sucked into the center of that.

"I don't like that smirk on your face, Ero-sennin," Naruto pointed out, having established a shaky balance as he fought against the current.

"I never said you have to," Jiraiya calmly stated before turning towards the forest behind him. "You don't have to keep hiding you know. We won't bite."

"Hmm?" his student muttered, and looked towards where Jiraiya was looking. Moments later, Naruto watched as a tanned girl clamoured out from the bushes. She looked not much older than him, dressed in a white tank top with a fishnet undershirt revealing her midriff, and white trousers that ended halfway down her calf with kunai pouches strapped on either leg. A mop of light green hair that stopped at the base of her neck, held to the side by a hairclip allowing her ruby eyes to be clearly seen in the day's sun. And wrapped around her right bicep was the hitai-ite of the Hidden Village of Waterfall.

"So what brings you here?" Jiraiya asked, walking back onto dry land. "Does our training interest you?"

"Not particularly Jiraiya-sama," the girl replied, bowing politely towards the Toad Hermit. "I was passing by when I heard noise caused by your student, and decided to investigate. And it is clear you are teaching him how to water-walk against the powerful river currents."

"Just a brush-up on his chakra control," Jiraiya replied, grinning, despite Naruto glaring daggers at the back of his head while still struggling. The girl said nothing, opting to simply sit down on her knees and quietly observed Naruto as he continued with his training.

Despite trying to maintain his balance and control, he couldn't help but notice how awfully cute she looked. She had a petite chest and body, and he couldn't help but marvel how it only added on to how cute she appeared. Mixed in with her cute visage was this air of confidence around her. It was like she was unashamed and happy with who she was regardless of what was wrong with her. He wondered what kind of person she was to have such an air around her. If anything one would think that she might be royalty, or have connections to such an environment that it simply just rubbed off onto her, or was trained to be like that in front of such people.

"Do I interest you?" the girl asked, nearly breaking Naruto's concentration.

"Get off that river before you kill yourself," Jiraiya sighed, chuckling at his student's present predicament, quietly chuckling as he watched him leap off the river and landed in front of him and the girl. "So tell me, why is the Daimyo's daughter all the way out here?"

"EH?" Naruto exclaimed, as the two stared at the Sannin, one out of disbelief that she had been caught without wearing any of her royal regalia, the other that he surprised of the fact that she was both a ninja, and the daughter of a daimyo.

"How did you know?" the girl asked, staring at Jiraiya in disbelief and suspicion.

"Not hard when you've travelled all over," Jiraiya answered, chuckling in amusement. "You see and hear things as you travel. I've simply seen pictures of you, so it wasn't too hard to figure it out."

"I…I see…" she answered, sighing at the fact she didn't consider possibly hiding her physical features.

"So I ask again, what brings you out to these parts; unless you're out training or something?"

"Just a private training session away from home, Jiraiya-san," the girl answered.

"Ano sa…who is she?" Naruto asked, drawing both people's attention.

"Of course," Jiraiya chortled, realising that he had been leaving Naruto out of the loop. "Naruto, meet Suzuhara Miyuki, Chuunin of Hidden Village of Waterfall, daughter of the local daimyo, and of course, Jinchuriki of Shichibi."

"EH?" both Jinchuriki exclaimed, one out of surprise that he had met another person like him, the other wondering how in the world Jiraiya knew that particular piece of information.

"How…how did you-"

"One does not travel, and not end up developing connections and information networks," Jiraiya wisely stated, before continuing on with the introduction. "Miyuki, this is Uzumaki Naruto, Genin of Konohagakure no Sato, and Jinchuriki of Kyuubi no Yoko."

"A Jinchuriki…" Miyuki murmured, and looked towards Naruto in surprise and disbelief. "So…there are others like me…"

Naruto realized immediately that her eyes were a lot different than the other Jinchuriki he had met before. While he, Yugito, and Gaara eyes held sadness and pain, Miyuki's eyes didn't look anything like theirs. If anything, she had grown up happy and loved, free of the horrors and pains that other villages brought down upon their own Jinchuriki. It led to him wondering what sort of parent was the daimyo, and what the villagers were like if they freely accepted her for what she was without question. A twinge of jealousy shot through him though as he realized how lucky she must be considering that she didn't have any of that pain in her eyes. It seemed that unlike him, she could smile from ear to ear without ever having to wear a mask.

"Not so fortunate like you though, Miyuki-hime," Jiraiya sadly stated, clapping a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You were lucky to have a father who understood the meaning of your sacrifice, and protected you from the prejudice of human nature. You were among ninjas who could truly understand the meaning of you carrying that demon within you and respected you for it. The Jinchuriki from other villages such as this young man, their villages scorned and despised those who protected their villages by being alive every day. The life of most Jinchuriki is not a bright one. It's a sad life usually."

"But I…was fortunate," Miyuki stated, nodding in understanding. She walked up to Naruto and bowed lightly before him and said, "While I cannot fathom the pain you must have lived, I offer my condolences."

"I don't need your pity," Naruto muttered, watching Miyuki stare back at him forlornly, seeing that she had offended him. "I'd rather have your friendship."

"Huh?"

"I'd like to be friends," Naruto repeated, holding his hand out. "After all, we Jinchuriki need to stick together, right?"

"Naruto-san…" Miyuki sighed in wonder, before smiling lightly taking his hand in hers. "I accept your gesture of friendship." Of course it was in that moment that Naruto's stomach began to gurgle, much to his embarrassment.

"Eh he, he…I guess…that training took a lot out of me…" he sheepishly stated, scratching the back of his head.

"It appears so," Miyuki answered, covering her mouth in a failed attempt to stifle her giggle, which Naruto found rather endearing. "Perhaps I can offer you some lunch?"

"We'd be delighted," Jiraiya answered, accepting the invitation. "C'mon, let's get changed."

------------------------------------------

"Naruto, slow down before you choke," Jiraiya exclaimed as he watched Naruto shovel down plate after plate.

Having been brought to Miyuki's private cabin, she had told them to sit down at the small dining table and started to cook a large meal for everyone. That in itself was a surprise to Naruto considering how it was usually unheard of for someone of such stature to be cooking their own meals. However, it seemed that Miyuki personally enjoyed cooking and had been tutored by the family cook, who had taught her everything she knew about cooking. When she had finally finished, it turned that she had put together a gargantuan meal for everyone, to Jiraiya's extreme surprise and Naruto's delight. Unfortunately, the moment Naruto had taken his first bite of Miyuki's cooking, he rapidly began to devour whatever Miyuki had laid down in front of him, at an astronomical rate. Of course, it didn't help that Miyuki had intentionally gave Naruto a substantially large portion considering how large her portion was as well. Glancing down at his portion, Jiraiya was glad that they had most of the food since he was sure he could not out eat either of them. Of course it had to hand it off to Miyuki for making an accurate guess of how much he was capable of eating.

Clearly she was used to the fact that she had to cook a large amount to satisfy the amount required to keep her body in working order, considering the amount of nutrients needed. But at the very least, she was nothing like the pig of an apprentice he had. Although having to eat a fairly large portion, at the very least she was neat and orderly in the way she ate. Calmly and gracefully, she ate her food with the pride and fluidity fitting of a ninja-princess of her stature. He could only let out a heavy sigh as Naruto simply continued to eat and eat. Of course Miyuki simply laughed at Naruto's antics in between bites.

"What am I going to do with you?" Jiraiya sighed, before turning his attention back towards his food.

Naruto on the other hand was in heaven. He always knew that food cooked by a woman's hands usually turned out far better than a master chef that was male. This, in particular, was far more incredible than he had first believed. He didn't know the words to describe it. The words to even describe what he was eating were beyond his present vocabulary, but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was continue to eat this, and if he was somehow lucky, continued to eat this for the rest of his life. Of course, then a particular thought crossed his mind.

"Do you know to make ramen?" he blurted out, immediately receiving a heavy blow to the back of his head. "What was that for?!"

"Is there nothing in that head of yours besides ramen?!" Jiraiya bellowed, albeit in a comical fashion as the two continued their argument about ramen.

Miyuki throughout this simply sat and continued to eat while watching the spectacle that was student and master argue between one another. Of course, Miyuki couldn't help but feel that Naruto and Jiraiya were a lot closer than that. Although subtly, she felt that what she was watching was something more akin to an uncle and his nephew having a spat between one another over the littlest of things. This of course brought a smile to her face as she continued to watch them banter back and forth. It wasn't often she had a chance to observe such family spectacles considering all she had was her father.

"I envy them," she quietly sighed, but was apparently heard by Naruto who broke off from his argument, and asked her to repeat herself. "Eh? Oh…I…envy you two…"

"What's there to envy about?" Naruto asked, looking at her curiously and thumbed towards Jiraiya. "He's nothing but a perverted sage who writes that Icha-Icha series."

"Oh my…" said Miyuki, blushing.

"I see you've heard of my books," Jiraiya confidently stated, while wearing his usual lecherous grin.

"I've…read one of your books…" the princess quietly stated.

"EH?" Naruto exclaimed, looking at Miyuki in disbelief as she performed an excellent impression of a tomato. "You READ those books?!"

"Well…it is good literature…if one can look past the adult material…"

"I…I see…" Naruto replied, not sure how to respond to that.

"Anyways," Jiraiya interjected, redirecting the conversation before Naruto had a chance to verbally trash his book anymore. "What about us exactly do you envy about, Miyuki-hime?"

"Well…you…seem to have an uncle-nephew relation," Miyuki elaborated.

Jiraiya couldn't help but chuckle at that statement. "I suppose you could say that." What he did say thought was how accurate Miyuki was, except that he was Naruto's godfather, although he had yet to make any mention of that to the boy. There would be a time to bring that up, but that wouldn't be for a while longer, when he was finally ready for everything.

"So we act like uncle-nephew," Naruto scoffed. "Why be envious of that?"

"Because I don't have any family besides my father," Miyuki replied, feeling that familiar twinge of sadness. Although she never grew deprived of a normal life, she felt that she had been deprived of having a complete family, including a mother, cousins, aunts and uncles, and relatives from varying corners in the family.

"Oh…" said Naruto, feeling a pang of regret at his answered, and sympathizing with her. "But…at least you have your dad…I don't even know my mom and dad…"

"Oh…I'm…I'm sorry," Miyuki apologized. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"Nah…it's alright," Naruto answered, waving it off.

"Still…I envy you," she sighed, poking at her food. "You at least have that relationship with Jiraiya-san…everyone else…still treats me as the daimyo's daughter…I'm mostly seen for what I stand for…not who I am…"

"And what would that be?" Jiraiya asked, giving her a thoughtful look, while Naruto quietly listened to Miyuki.

"A 16-year-old girl who just wants to become the best ninja she can be, and start a ninja clan," she firmly stated. "I want someone who can love me, for me, not what marrying me would gain. I want to be recognised for my hard work. I want to become Jounin because I've earned the right to be a jounin. I love my father dearly…but the shadow he casts…it bothers me a lot…"

"Hmm…it's quite natural," Jiraiya commented. "It's not uncommon for this to happen…it's everywhere…Jinchuriki especially. The demons they cage often cast such a large shadow that they are often considered to be the demon incarnate, instead of the jailor of the demon. Naruto is no exception. Many wanted to kill him for what they thought he was."

"What?" she exclaimed, eyes widening in horror at the thought.

"What humans don't understand…they try to destroy," he sighed. "Such is the ways of human nature…it is a horrible thing at times."

"That's…that's horrible…"

"A lot of humans are like that," Jiraiya stated. Rising up from the table, he thanked for the meal and headed out the door.

"Where you doing, Ero-sennin," Naruto called out after Jiraiya.

"Getting some work done," Jiraiya stated. "I'll be back in a couple of hours." Naruto knew not to argue back when Jiraiya said he had work to do. Although he had a feeling research was involved, whenever he mentioned work it meant he had something to take care of that he did not want Naruto to be involved in, often for his safety. He had questioned once, and had unfortunately incurred Jiraiya's wrath. He did not want to go through that again.

"Yeah, yeah, just don't kill yourself," Naruto grumbled, leaning back against his seat.

"Hey, who do you think I am?" Jiraiya chortled, closing the door.

"Damn that Ero-sennin," Naruto grumbled and dug into some additional food in hopes of taking his mind off from the perverted sage, especially knowing that he'd probably find some sort of hot spring, stream, or creek, and observe women after his work was done. Unfortunately, unless he was following he wouldn't be able to interrupt him until after he was well engrossed into his research already.

"To answer your earlier question, I know how to make ramen," Miyuki answered as she wiped her mouth clean after finishing the last of her food.

"Could you make some next time?" Naruto excitedly asked.

"If you'd like," she responded, offering a smile of amusement.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle as he downed the last of his meal. "Oh that was good," he sighed, patting his belly, earning a small laugh out of Miyuki, something he also found he enjoyed.

"Naruto-kun," Miyuki suddenly called out, getting up from her chair, "would you like to go on a walk with me?"

------------------------------------------

"So…where are we heading?" Naruto asked as the two of them quietly walked through the forest.

"No where in particular," she answered, her gaze focused primarily in front of herself.

Naruto couldn't help but look at her curiously, wondering what exactly was going through her mind. Not being a mind reader, he also wondered what sort of creature was hidden deep within her.

"Naruto-kun, can I ask a personal question?" she suddenly asked, catching Naruto off guard.

"Uh…sure…"

They came to a stop and Miyuki turned to look at him dead in the eye. "Has anyone ever told you that you bear a striking resemblance to Yondaime Hokage?"

**A/N: Hmm…apparently I've completely forgotten that Yugito was also well liked, or at the very least respected, by Kumogakure in the manga series…for those concerned, I have revised and edited the previous chapters to accommodate this particular aspect that I've forgotten. However, it seems that I need to reread some material before I progress too far, considering my preference of wanting to stick to original canon material as best I can, up to the point I start diverging, while practicing some personal poetic licences, such as deciding that the Shichibi is still not captured, and Yugito's age being 16 instead of her canon 29.**

**Oh well, this doesn't affect too much, but there will be quite a few changes in the previous chapters considering the dialogue structure had to be changed in many places.**


End file.
